Child Labor Law Myths: Who’s Really Being Protected?

We’ve been told child labor laws protect minors from wage exploitation, danger, and lost education — but what if that’s all a myth? This podcast dismantles the familiar narrative, exposing how modern labor restrictions serve special interests, not minors, by keeping teens away from safe, productive jobs, exposing them to many dangers in school, exploited for unpaid work, and stalling their independence, earnings, and growth. My guest is Dr. Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer and director of undergraduate studies in Harvard's economics department. He is also director of economic policy studies at the Cato Institute.